Headlamp

ABSTRACT

Automobile headlamp comprising a body shell supporting a bulb assembly, and a rigid molded plastic reflector having a parabolic reflector surface, said reflector having an opening therein through which the bulb can pass freely so that the reflector is not in thermal contact with the bulb assembly, and the reflector being fixed to the body shell solely in the vicinity of said opening. Abutments are provided on the interior of the body shell for steadying the reflector.

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United States Patet 1 1 Puyplat HEADLAMP Inventor: Oliver Puyplat,Paris, France [73] Assignee: Cibil Projecteurs, Bobigny, France Filed:June 19, 1972 Appl. No.: 264,194

Primary Examiner.lohn M. Horan Assistant ExaminerE. M. O'ConnorAttorney, Agent, or FirmBreitenfeld & Levine [30] Foreign ApplicationPriority Data June 18, 1971 France 71.22333 ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl.240/41.35 R, 240/41 SC, 240/41 B,

Automobile headlamp comprising a body shell supporting a bulb assembly.and a rigid molded plastic re- [51] Int. F2lv 7/00 1 flector having aparabolic reflector surface. said reflector having an opening thereinthrough which the bulb can pass freely so that the reflector is not inther- Rm 55 3 1 14 M N W4 MB 2 m4 WC S m1! aM 0 4 fa; 0 M .N F M 5 R ffence Cit d mal contact with the bulb assembly, and the reflector e e se being fixed to the body shell solely in the vicinity of UNITED STATESPATENTS said opening. Abutments are provided on the interior of the bodyshell for steadying the reflector.

240/41 R 240/41 NM 2 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures 905.312 12/1908 977,35811/1910 Allen..... 1.040.412 10/1912 V 3, 852,58 PATENTELBEEIIIJWIIIIIIMOIIII I I 24 L? FIG. 2

1 l HEADLAMP The present invention relates to light projectors (hereintermed lamps), particularly for motor vehicles, in which a light sourceco-operates with a reflector having at least one reflecting surface ofparabolic shape.

At present, such lamps are generally equipped with reflectors made bystamping from sheet metal. The shape stability of such reflectors isgenerally excellent, but it is necessary to carry out very costlypolishing op erations to given them a good surface finish. In addition,in the case of reflectors made up of a plurality of juxtaposed parabolicsurfaces, and thus of complex shape, manufacture by stamping from sheetmetal is often a cumbersome process.

- For lamps of small size and low power, it has been proposed to makereflectors from a moulded thermoplastic material one face of which ismade to reflect light by metal deposition, in particular by aluminiumdeposition. These lamps have the advantages that they can easily be madein all optically desirable shapes, however complex these may be, and ofexhibiting a good surface finish.

However, such reflectors have certain inherent drawbacks. They are verysensitive to temperature variations and in particular to the heatingeffects transmitted by the cap of the bulb which is mounted in thereflector; when they are associated with metal parts, the expansiondifferences between the metal and the plastics material may lead tointernal stresses and/or deformations; they have only very limitedresistance to impact and they must generally be placed in an externalprotective casing or sheath.

That is why at present the use of plastics materials for reflectors hasbeen limited to reflectors of small size for lamps of low power.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a lamp equipped witha reflector of a plastics material and which can be made of large sizeand high power.

A lamp according to the invention comprises a rigid external body, atleast one light source such as a bulb mounted in an aperture in thebody, and an internal reflector having at least one parabolic reflectingsurface and being constituted by a rigid structure of moulded plasticsmaterial and being provided with at least one opening allowing freepassage for the light source therethrough and being locally fixed to thebody only in the vicinity of the said opening. Outside the small fixingarea, the reflector remains free in relation to the body. The lightsource or bulb is mounted on the body the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a cross-section along plane II-II of FIG. 1, the bulb andbulb-holder having been removed.

The lamp 10 comprises essentially a supporting body 12, a light assembly14, a reflector and a glass or lens 24.

The body 12 is a rigid structure made, for example, of pressed sheetmetal. The glass 24 is adhesively joined to a shoulder 120 formed at thefront of the body 12.

Opposite the glass 24, the body is provided with a rearward protuberanceor crown 13, in the centre of which a collar 13a is formed.

The light assembly 14 comprises a bulb 16 and a bulb-holder 18. Thebulb-holder 18 is mounted in the collar 13a, in any suitable manner.

The reflector 20 is a rigid structure made of a plastics material, ofgeneral parabolic shape. Its internal parabolic face 22 is made toreflect light by aluminium deposition.

In its central part the reflector 20 has an opening 26 through which thebulb l6 can pass freely.

The fixing of the reflector 20 in the body is effected by means of aplurality of localized connectors 28 joining the back of the reflector20 in the vicinity of the opening 26 to the crown 13. Preferably, asshown, each connector 28 comprises a lug 34, moulded integral with thereflector 20 and provided with a threaded bore 32,

' and screws 30 which enter the bores 32 and clamp the and the reflectoris not in contact with the bulb on its cap. There is thus no heattransmitting contact between the cap of the bulb and the reflector.

Although it does not support the bulb, the reflector is neverthelesspositioned accurately in relation to the bulb because it is fixed to thebody close to the bulb mounting.

The restriction of the fixing area of the reflector to the vicinity ofthe opening therein permits free differential expansion of the reflectorand of the body.

The body ensures good protection for the reflector, as any impact whichmay be suffered by the body is not generally transmitted to thereflector because of the restriction of the fixing area.

The following description, with reference to the .accompanying drawings,relates to an exemplary embodilugs 34 against the crown 13.

The body 12 may, if desired, be provided with internal projections 36constituting abutments for steadying the extremities of the reflector.

There is no heat-transmitting contact between the bulb 16 or its cap andthe reflector 20, because of the large size of the opening 26. Thefixing of the reflector 20 to the crown 13 in the vicinity of the collar13a used for the mounting of the light assembly nevertheless ensuresaccurate positioning of the bulb 16 in relation to the reflector 20.

Moreover, the use of localized connectors 28 in only the area of thereflector adjacent to the opening 26 leaves the whole of the reflector20 free in relation to the body 12 under all conditions of temperatureor vibration.

Naturally, connection by means of screws is only one of several possibleways; it is possible to use rivets or other conventional mechanicalfixing systems; also, the lugs 34 may be made so as to co-operate, forexample by latching engagement, with fixing holes formed in the crown13. The body 12, beyond the crown 13, may be of any desired shape, notnecessarily conforming to the shape of the reflector 20.

What I'claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An automobile vehicle headlamp, comprising a rigid external metallicbody, a reflector within said said crown into said lugs, and abutmentsprojecting inwardly from said body near the free end of said reflectorfor steadying said reflector.

2. An automobile vehicle headlamp as defined in claim 1 wherein saidsecuring means further include screws passing through holes in saidcrown and entering threaded bores in said lugs.

1. An automobile vehicle headlamp, comprising a rigid external metallicbody, a reflector within said body, said reflector having at least oneparabolic reflecting area, and an electric bulb optically cooperatingwith said reflector to create a luminous beam, said body having a crownsurrounding an opening, said crown and body being formed as a one pieceelement a bulb holder within said opening and secured to said crown,said bulb holder supporting said bulb, said reflector being a rigidstructure formed of molded plastic material and having a central openingin registry with the opening in said body, said bulb being of such asize so as to be capable of passing freely through said opening withoutcontacting said refLector, and means for securing said reflector to saidbody only in the vicinity of said openings, said securing meanscomprising lugs molded integral with said reflector and abutting saidcrown of said body, and fasteners extending through said crown into saidlugs, and abutments projecting inwardly from said body near the free endof said reflector for steadying said reflector.
 2. An automobile vehicleheadlamp as defined in claim 1 wherein said securing means furtherinclude screws passing through holes in said crown and entering threadedbores in said lugs.